Question On Luminaires

[SuperColey1]

One for the experts here (basically everyone but me. lol)

I have been given the go ahead by the boss (my wife) to get a luminaire for my birthday in a months time.


Question is on my 80cm long 125 Ltr (29G I think) tank which of the following should I get?
(Please bear in mind that I will only be using 1 x Nutrafin Kit with Yeast Recipe changed once a week.)


1 - 80cm Luminaire with 3 x 24W T5 2.5WPG


2 - 100cm Luminaire with 3 x 39W T5 (with brackets adjusted and 10cm overhang which allows for the tube ends and casing)4WPG


Am I right in assuming I should go for the lower amount of WPG seeing as I am only using 1 Nutrafin Kit and won't be doing EI? I am also overstocked by about 25%, but 75% of the substrate is planted

Interested in your opinions, but please don't say increase CO2 start EI etc. I'm a very lazy person. lol

Andy

 

[excaliborg]

You could get the larger one and turn off one of the lights, giving you 2X39w. This would also be good for if you were ever looking to up your lighting. 2.5 WPG is still a lot though, and may give you algae problems with only one yeast co2 canister. I suspect you'd have to have a pretty short photo period to keep algae at bay.

How about get a pressurized co2 system for this birthday, and once you have your co2 levels sorted, add a luminaire then.

 

[George Farmer]

2.5wpg is plenty.

 

[voo]

I'd say go for the smaller one that's the right size for your tank. I have a 60cm luminaire and i think it'd look odd with a larger one over the tank. Also, with 4wpg and no EI you will probably have algae problems.
As for CO2, why not add a 2nd bottle but still change just 1 a week. It'll help to keep your CO2 levels more stable. No extra work involved really.

 

[SuperColey1]

No I don't want anymore gubbins outside of the tank. I have 1 baby that is 20 months old and he already slaps the front of the tank on occasion, before geting a slap on the bottom.

He is very inquisitive and fiddles with everything, and I don't want anything outside the tank, hence why I use an internal UV and internal filter, with the Nutrafin on top of the hood.

(I also have a 7 month old son and that will increase the risk of fiddling soon)

Not worried about algae because the UV takes care off that, along with the mollies and Pitbull Plecs.

I'm just looking to get the tank working for plants, with quite low maintenance and no external equipment.

Do you think I should err on the side of caution and just get the 80 or use 2 of the 100 bulbs, with 1 CO2 kit and the UV taking care of algae (I might get another CO2 kit and tbar them together if this helps)

Not against pressurised CO2, but its just not practical in my flat with 2 young children

 

[voo]

With no EI and only 1 nutrafin canister i'd suggest getting the 80cm luminaire and perhaps just running 2 of the bulbs instead of 3.
What ferts are you using?

 

[SuperColey1]

With no EI and only 1 nutrafin canister i'd suggest getting the 80cm luminaire and perhaps just running 2 of the bulbs instead of 3.
What ferts are you using?

I am heavily stocked with the following:

3 x pitbull plecs, 4 mollys, 1 Betta, 5 Danios, 5 Glolights, so there is a fair amount of nutrient there already. I dose half the recommended daily of Aquatic Plantations 'Plant Boosta'
Plants like H Poly, cabomba, Ludwigia, Bacopa, elodia are flying upwards, and Crypt+Val type plant? are also getting bushy.
but sensitive plants like Blyxia Japonica and Rotala Macrandra are getting worse by the day (They came in the initial collection I got)

The Co2 runs at 1 bubble every 3-4 seconds. Bubble starts about 6mm and gradually reduces up the ladder to about 2mm, then pops out the top and to the surface. (Is this reduction in size of the bubble the CO2 being absorbed into the water)

As I said before no probs with algae, but this is down to the plecs, mollies and also the UV.

I also run the lights 12pm to 12am at the mo.

p.s. Voo - your Indian Fern is starting to recover again now.

 

[Themuleous]

Get the 2.5WPG one, I tihnk the extra 20cm over the ends of the tank will look daft and as George says 2.5WPG is plenty. BTW what you doing to do if not EI?

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

Get the 2.5WPG one, I tihnk the extra 20cm over the ends of the tank will look daft and as George says 2.5WPG is plenty. BTW what you doing to do if not EI?

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

I know I go back and forth on what I want especially on lighting, but I've found a cheap supplier of Interpet T5 compact bulbs, although they don't sell the starter units surprisingly.

So I think I will get the starter unit from AquaEssentials - twin 55W = £38.99
and I am going to get the Tropica Liquid Fertiliser (not the +) - £13.25
Which gives me free shipping.

The Bulbs for £55W - Tri plus and daylight plus 55W = £7 each + delivery

Total (for the lighting which is the present my missus is buying) = £60.

With these tubes being 21 inch if I remove the present electrics this unit will fit in the hoods tray and lights will fit perfectly in the cavitys (lamp clips are included)

I will. of course get a second Nutrafin kit and T Bar it together.

(You'll probs all be telling me too much light not enough CO2, I'll take it on the chin and keep on experimenting to see what works and what doesnt' etc.)

Andy

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like you're thinking it through, that's half the battle and it always makes for a tank in the long run.

(You'll probs all be telling me too much light not enough CO2, I'll take it on the chin and keep on experimenting to see what works and what doesnt' etc.)

I could, but I wont. Just don't get done hearted when the tank turns in to a block of algae

Keep us posted re your progress.

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

I could, but I wont. Just don't get done hearted when the tank turns in to a block of algae
Sam

I am rushing into it really, but thats the way I am, and it won't hurt to make mistakes and learn what can go wrong, and also what I can do to correct it. I guess you've all been there done that, before getting the tank you want after several misguided efforts. lol

I am very precise with the measurements in the CO2 kit though. I use the measuring spoons and cup from my bread making machine (that we don't use anymore).

1/2 cup sugar (is the same as the line indicator in the cannister,
2 x 1/4 teaspoons yeast (each levelled off with a knife)
water to the top line of the kit.
shake a bit
connect and wait for 1 hour.

Bubbles start and after a few hours are back to 1 bubble every 4 seconds 6mm bubble at bottom of ladder reducing to 2mm at thte top before exiting and going to the surface.

No one answered my question previously, where I asked is the bubble going from 6mm to 2mm the CO2 being absorbed into the water? Is it right for the bubble to get to the top of the ladder and then go straight to the surface.

Also if I get 2 kits connected by a t-bar will both go to the tank or is there a risk that the might send CO2 to each other. lol (this maybe a silly question for you all to laugh at, but its worth me knowing)

Also I did water test last night (I have API master test kit - Ph, high Ph, Nitrate, Nitrate and Ammonia)

Readings
Ph - 6.4 (before plants and CO2 and Ferts it was 7.2)
Ammonia - 0.25 (used to be 0)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5 (before plants and CO2 and ferts was 25)

Any advice on these readings?
I will get some of the 5 in 1 test strips that do Kh, Gh etc eventually, but at the mo, all my spare cash is disappearing into this project and things have to come when the spare money is available, most likely in the wrong order but thats another story.

As I have said, its not me poo pooing the EI and pressurised CO2 'avenue'. Its just that I don't have the time for the EI (even though everybody says it only takes a short time) and I really don't want a CO2 thingamyjig with dials and levers etc, with my young babies looking at them think. waahoo new toy (I can forsee dead fish, explosions, turning off, plants dying, and broken equipment going this route, you know how young children are, you say no and they stop doing whatever they were doing, until you look away and then they do it)

Interested very much in opinions, trying to prise any hints tips and advice from people who have explored this route, and also any knowledge that I can learn from is v good.

Also I may have a case of white spot in the tank (probs not) one mollie has a white spot in the centre of her tail but it is both sides (transparent). Immediately took her out and cotton bud dabbed the spot with methylene blue (I don't want a bumper load in the tank and it looks like it is clearing up now. might be a fungus I suppose, or tail rot. Also put int 1/2 dose Melafix (I have a Betta and plecs so can't do full dose) No fish are flicking, or rubbing, including the inflicted molly, so don't know what it is.

Any advice on meds that I can use for the various common afflictions that fish can get bearing in mind that I have plecs, Betta and plants (I know this rules a lot of the meds out)

Andy

 

[Themuleous]

Haha, you go right ahead, I've learnt loads since starting this forum and EI, but still haven't figured it all out!

EI is by no means the 'be all and end all' I have heard good tings about the seachem fert range and also the ADA system. However the seachem one requires quite a bit of testing so will probably take up just as much time overall and the ADA one is so dam expensive! EI is a good half way house, as you don't need to test at all really, but it does require 50% water changes which I can understand people being put off by. Each to their own

Just out of interest, what do you think caused the 0.25 NH3 spike? I'd be worried if that happened to me. Also, don't get those 5 in 1 test strips, convenient yes but probably hugely inaccurate. The liquid test kits are bad enough the strips can only be worse.

As for your unanswered question, yes as the bubble travels up the ladder it gets smaller meaning the co2 is being adsorbed into the water. It escaping out of the top is normal, no point having it build up at the top it wont really do much if it did. I wouldn't think having two kits connected would be a problem as the pressure created in each would stop transfer of gas from one to the other, as the path of least resistance is out and into the tank so that's the route it'll take

Sam

 

[voo]

Bubbles start and after a few hours are back to 1 bubble every 4 seconds 6mm bubble at bottom of ladder reducing to 2mm at thte top before exiting and going to the surface.

No one answered my question previously, where I asked is the bubble going from 6mm to 2mm the CO2 being absorbed into the water? Is it right for the bubble to get to the top of the ladder and then go straight to the surface.

Yes, this is the CO2 being absorbed. Same thing happens on my ladder.

Also if I get 2 kits connected by a t-bar will both go to the tank or is there a risk that the might send CO2 to each other. lol (this maybe a silly question for you all to laugh at, but its worth me knowing)

Might be a good idea to get 2 one-way air valves and connect them inbetween the canister and t-bar. This would stop the CO2 travelling to each cannister as you described, but also comes in handy when you are changing over / refilling one of the cannisters.

 

[SuperColey1]

Sam

I am guessing the 3 pitbull plecs I got last week are to blame for ammonia spike. I have 3 x the noral foam pads in my filter instead of the 2, which will hopefully give more surface for bacteria. (This is instead of 2 normal and 1 carbon)
Allied to the plants only in their second week, I guess they aren't taking inutrients to their full capacity yet.

I am gonna use Tropica liquid fert (not the plus one cos I am overstocked) after this 'Plant Boosta' is finished.

Voo
Thanks for confirmation. been looking at one of the glass spiral diffusers for inside the tank. (After everything else gets bought) so probably about December. lol

Good idea with the one way valves.

Andy